Container

ABSTRACT

A container ( 1 ) comprising a base ( 2 ) and four panels ( 3, 4, 5, 6 ) adapted to be coupled to the base ( 2 ) so as to be upstanding from the base ( 2 ). There is an upstanding plinth ( 21 ) along one edge the base ( 2 ) and at the top of the plinth ( 21 ) there is a coupling member ( 23 ) to engage with a cooperating coupling member ( 7 ) on the rear panel ( 5 ). The rear panel ( 5 ) sits on the plinth ( 21 ) when coupled thereto and when so coupled is sufficiently raised above the support surface ( 10 ) of the base ( 2 ) as to allow uncoupling of the rear panel ( 5 ) from the base ( 2 ) without interference from a cover panel ( 14 ) over the base support surface ( 10 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a container for housing a plastic film liner bag in which liquid is to be housed.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] A common container for the above purpose is one which comprises a base and two side panels and a front and a rear panel, all of the panels are able to be coupled to the base and when coupled to the base and upstanding adjacent panels are interconnected to provide an enclosure for a plastic film liner bag for filling with a liquid. In one form of the above container the panels can be demounted from the base in another form the panels are hingedly connected to the base. In each form of container there would also be a lid member. This invention is concerned with the form of container in which the panels can be demounted from the base and where the means for mounting the rear panel of the container on the base is at or adjacent the support surface of the base.

[0003] In Australian patent applications numbers 75033/98 and 83167/98 and the corresponding PCT applications PCT/AU98/00523 and PCT/AU98/00729 means for promoting the discharge of liquid from a liner bag of a container are disclosed. The disclosed means requires the tilting of a liner bag supporting floor panel which sits on the container base. In both of the patent applications the illustrations have been of a simple container of the type with panels demountable from the container base and the rear panel (which lies adjacent the edge of the floor panel which is raised in a floor panel tilting operation) has a bottom edge which is mounted to the support surface of the base. The rear panel-to-base connection is of effective and simple form requiring outward and inwardly movements of the bottom edge of the rear panel relative to the base to respectively effect connection and disconnection of the rear panel to the base.

[0004] It has been found that for a number of reasons the floor panel will sometimes not return to a fully lowered condition where it lies flat on the support surface of the base when the floor panel tilting mechanism is made inoperative. This results in the rear edge of the floor panel blocking inward movement of the rear panel to uncouple the bottom edge of the rear panel from the base.

[0005] The present invention has been primarily devised to overcome the above problem. It has also been found that as an associated benefit the potential (under some circumstances) for the liner bag to be pinched at the intersection of the base, the rear panel and the rear edge of the floor panel (with the possibility of a leak from the liner bag) is lessened by the present invention.

BROAD STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0006] A container comprising a four sided base, a pair of like side panels and a front end panel and a rear end panel, side panel coupling means whereby bottom edges of the two side panels can be respectively releasably coupled to the base at two opposed sides of the base so as to be upstanding relative to a support surface of the base, a plinth upstanding from the support surface of the base at a rear side of the base, rear panel coupling means whereby a bottom edge the rear panel can be releasably coupled to the plinth with the rear panel bottom edge atop the plinth and said rear panel upstanding relative to said base support surface, and front panel coupling means whereby a bottom edge the front panel can be releasably coupled to the base with the front panel upstanding relative to said base support surface, and wherein all of said coupling means comprise inturned first elements on said base and out turned second elements on said panels, the coupling of said panels to the base being achieved by hooking said panel flanges under said base flanges as said panels whilst upstanding are moved in an outward direction relative to the base, said side panels between side edges are substantially the same length, the front and rear panels between side edges have substantially the same length which is substantially the same as the spacing between the side panels when upstanding and coupled to the base, releasable interconnecting means are provided to connect adjacent side edges of the side and front and rear panels when coupled to the base in an upstanding condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a container typical of the invention, FIG. 2 is a scrap sectional view through a container of previous type at the place of coupling of a rear container panel to the container base showing the relationship between the parts and a floor panel over the base with the section located at the place indicated by the section line 3-3 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is a scrap sectional view at the place indicated by the section line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0008] Reference numeral 1 in all of the drawings generally indicates the container. In each of the container types illustrated there is a base 2 and two side panels 3 and 4 and a rear panel 5 and a front panel 6. Coupling means allows the panels to be coupled in a releasable manner to the base.

[0009] Each side panel 3 to 6 includes an out turned bottom edge flange 7 which is an integral part of the coupling means whereby the panels are coupled to the base. Conveniently the flanges 7 result from the construction of the bottom members of the panels from angle iron. In a preferred panel construction the panels each comprise a rectangular frame made of angle iron with the periphery of the panel frame defined by out turned flanges of the angle iron. The front panel 6 is typical of this construction and include lateral bracing members 8. The inner faces of the panels are provided by sheet material 9 fixed to the coplanar inwardly directed other legs of the angle iron members of the panel frames.

[0010] The support surface 10 of the base is provided with a trough 11 to facilitate the discharge of liquid from a liquid filled liner bag 12 housed in the container, see FIG. 2. The liner bag 12 includes a nozzle (not illustrated) which lies in the opening 13 in the front panel 6 where it is held firm by devices covered in other patent applications by the present applicant and which are not relevant to this application.

[0011] A floor panel 14 made of material able to be flexed or bent rests on the support surface 10 of the base 2 The floor panel 14 is provided with a trough following opening 15. Devices covered in other patent applications by the present applicant, and which are not relevant to this application, are used to raise the rear edge 16 of the floor panel 14 thereby to cause liquid in a liner bag resting on the floor panel 14 to flow towards the liner bag nozzle housed in the opening 13 of the front panel 6. The floor panel tilting and the trough 11 combine to provide substantially complete emptying of the liquid from a liner bag in the container 1.

[0012] The side panels 3 and 4 have a length between side edges 17 which is the same and is greater than the common length of the front and rear panels 5 and 6 between their respective side edges 18 and 19. Latching means (of suitable type) indicated 20 are provided to secure together adjacent side edges of the panels when mounted upstanding on the base 2 and supported by the upstanding corner posts 30 of the base 2. The other component of the container is a lid, not shown.

[0013] The heights of the panels depend upon the construction of the base and the base elements of the coupling means whereby the panels are coupled to the base. In all cases the invention provides as an essential a plinth 21 upstanding from the support surface of the base 2 at the side of the base where the rear panel 5 is to be mounted, best seen in FIG. 3. Along the top of the plinth 21 there is a hooking flange 23 which is inturned, alternatively hook forming lugs can be used in place of the continuous flange 23.

[0014] The rear panel 5 is coupled to and uncoupled from the base at the top edge of the plinth by lateral relative movement between the rear panel 5 (when upright) and the base thereby to engage and disengage the rear panel flange 7 under the plinth flange 23. When so coupled the rear panel bottom edge sits atop the plinth 21.

[0015] The side panels 3 and 4 and the front panel 6 are similarly coupled with the flanges of the panels engaging with flanges on the base.

[0016] In FIG. 1, there are two oppositely placed side panel plinths 24 and 25 each of the same height each with a with an inturned hooking flange 26. The side panels 3 and 4 are coupled to and uncoupled from the base in the manner just described for the rear panel 5 by engagement of the panel flanges under the plinth flanges. There is a front panel plinth 27 on the base 2, conveniently (but not necessarily) of substantially the same height as the plinth 21 at the rear edge of the base 2. Flanges 28 on the plinth 21 are engagable by the bottom edge flange 11 of the front panel 6 in the manner described for the rear panel 5.

[0017] Whilst FIG. 1 illustrates an arrangement where there are two plinths for the side panels and a front plinth for the front panel, each with a hooking flange to be engaged by flanges of the relevant panels, it is to be understood that arrangements where the are no plinths for the side and/or front panels are within the scope of the present invention.

[0018] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the primary problem addressed by the present invention and encountered in previous containers where the rear panel flange 7 is engaged with a base flange 23 with the arrangement having the bottom edge rear panel 5 resting on the base support surface 10. As illustrated the rear edge 16 of the floor panel 14, when released after being tilted (see FIG. 3) to cause liquid in a liner bag 12 to flow to the front of the base will clearly interfere with the movement of the rear panel required to disengage the rear panel flange 7 from the base flange 23, as indicated by the arrow. This necessitates the removal of the floor panel 14 to allow the rear panel 5 to be demounted from the base. In use it is sometimes desirable to remove the rear panel whilst the floor panel 14 is installed. For example, with deep panels it is difficult to reach down into the container to mount the nozzle of the liner bag in the front panel opening 13. With the rear panel removed (and the floor panel 14 in place) the bag nozzle installation is facilitated.

[0019] From FIG. 3, showing the floor panel 14 flat on the base surface 10, and in broken lines as it would appear when tilted. It is clear that the movement of the rear panel 5 to disengage the panel flange 7 from the plinth flange 23 will not be obstructed by the rear edge 16 of the floor panel 14 when the floor panel rear edge 16 lies lower than the top of the plinth 21. The height of the plinth 21 is such that even if the floor panel rear edge 16 was to be spaced slightly above the base support surface 10, as for example due to a foreign body on the base support surface 10, or by the distortion of the floor panel 14 after several uses, the removal of the rear panel 5 would be possible. Another reason for the floor panel not returning to a fully lowered condition could be that the mechanism for tilting the floor panel may require adjustment as a result of wear or damage. 

1. A container comprising a four sided base, a pair of like side panels and a front end panel and a rear end panel, side panel coupling means whereby bottom edges of the two side panels can be respectively releasably coupled to the base at two opposed sides of the base so as to be upstanding relative to a support surface of the base, a plinth upstanding from the support surface of the base at a rear side of the base, rear panel coupling means whereby a bottom edge the rear panel can be releasably coupled to the plinth with the rear panel bottom edge atop the plinth and said rear panel upstanding relative to said base support surface, and front panel coupling means whereby a bottom edge the front panel can be releasably coupled to the base with the front panel upstanding relative to said base support surface, and wherein all of said coupling means comprise inturned first elements on said base and out turned second elements on said panels, the coupling of said panels to the base being achieved by hooking said panel flanges under said base flanges as said panels whilst upstanding are moved in an outward direction relative to the base, said side panels between side edges are substantially the same length, the front and rear panels between side edges have substantially the same length which is substantially the same as the spacing between the side panels when upstanding and coupled to the base, releasable interconnecting means are provided to connect adjacent side edges of the side and front and rear panels when coupled to the base in an upstanding condition.
 2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second elements of the coupling means between the panels and the base are flanges on the panels and the base.
 3. A container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the first elements of the coupling means on the base for engagement by the coupling means second elements of one or more of the side and front panels are mounted on plinths so that the bottom edges of the side and front panels will rest on the associated plinths and will be spaced from the support surface of the base.
 4. A container as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 3 wherein the coupling means first and second elements are hooks on the base and the panels.
 5. A container as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4 wherein the interconnected side edges of upstanding panels coupled to the base are supported adjacent the base by corner posts on the base. 